Football and hockey players are particularly susceptible to injury in the area of the knee. The typical uniform for such athletes generally provides pockets in the garments themselves for receiving pads or plates to protect the thigh and sometimes the knee area, and in the case of hockey players the shin area as well.
The above-identified application relates to an improved thigh and knee protective device which is intended to provide protection for these areas of the leg. The device of that application describes and claims a thigh shell or guard having an upper portion extending around the upper part of the leg or thigh to protect against injuries from the lateral or outside area. This thigh shell is hingedly connected to a knee guard by means of a unique joint that affords a limitation as to the angle of deflection for the knee joint itself. Suitable padding is provided inside the relatively rigid shell. A plate is provided so as to be received in the pocket defined in conventional football or hockey player pants leg garments. This plate slips into the pocket and provides the sole support for the guard, thereby avoiding the need for strapping and encircling the thigh as is true of conventional guards of this general type.
The knee guard has a depending portion to protect the shin where the device is to be used by hockey players or the like and at least to protect the lower portion of the knee for a football player. A strap may be provided around the knee joint area to secure the knee shell in place.